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More than $11 million in federal funds designated for specific economic development projects and law enforcement agencies in Northwest Indiana were omitted from the spending legislation endorsed Tuesday by the Republican-controlled U.S. House.

The House's continuing resolution aims to avert a federal government shutdown Friday by basically maintaining federal spending through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year at levels approved last year by Democratic former President Joe Biden.

Since 2015, Penelope Love and her fellow neighbors of the Aetna Manor Revitalization Program have worked to restore the neighborhood through various cleanup projects. But eliminating blighted structures would take more than they could muster alone.

Now, an ongoing city initiative fueled largely by volunteer efforts gives Aetna the boost Love sought.

“It’s a good feeling when someone comes alongside to support consistent efforts or to do what you could not do,” Love said.

More vacant homes are being torn down in Gary's Aetna neighborhood. The city says more than 20 blighted structures were set to be demolished, thanks to five construction companies, the Lake County Highway Department and others who've volunteered their time.

During a kickoff press conference Monday, Mayor Eddie Melton said it marks the completion of the Aetna "neighborhood stabilization" initiative begun last year. "I believe after we finish today, Aetna will be nearly blight free," Melton said, drawing cheers from the gathered officials.

Officials from the City of Gary announced the start of the next phase of an ongoing effort to eliminate blight in the Aetna neighborhood.

In a city targeting the demolition of hundreds of blighted structures, this one in Gary’s Aetna neighborhood felt personal to contractor Jim Wiseman on Monday.

“If you look behind you, that green house with the white smokestack was my childhood home for 15 years,” Wiseman told a crowd Monday morning in the 3700 block of East 13th Avenue.

Wiseman, who heads a group of contractors in a public-private partnership to help Gary demolish blighted, vacant homes, said: “What we’re doing is making a better future.”

As the Representative for Indiana’s First Congressional District, I believe that all elected officials have a sacred trust with their constituents and a responsibility to be held to the highest standard, to unite and collaborate with vested stakeholders to solve problems, and to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

U.S. Representative Frank Mrvan (D-Highland) says he supports the idea of efficient government, but he wants the Trump administration to include Congress in the process.

During a virtual community forum Wednesday, Mrvan said protecting taxpayer dollars is in his DNA. "There absolutely is fraud, waste and abuse, and what I need to communicate is that President Trump isn't doing everything wrong," Mrvan said. "I'm on board to make sure that we're efficient and effective."